CAUSES OF SEXUAL

IMMORALITY
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CAUSES OF SEXUAL IMMORALITY

CAUSES OF SEXUAL IMMORALITY

Introduction
Sexual immorality is the “selling off” of sexual purity and involves any type of sexual expression outside
the boundaries of a biblically defined marriage relationship. Sexual immorality is wrong. God says,

“flee from sexual immorality” 1 Cor 6:18

There is nothing mysterious about sexual immorality. No act of sexual immorality is inexplicable. There
are reasons as to why some people engage in various acts of sexual immorality. Here are some of the
reasons;

Failure to set boundaries

Wherever one is involved in a caring relationship such as the relationship which exists between a teacher
and a student, a doctor and a patient, a counselor and a counselee, an employer and an employee or a
pastor and a congregant – it is particularly important that there be boundaries. The mere setting of
boundaries is however not enough. The boundaries have to be respected to avoid a situation where some
of these caring relationships evolve into something else. For example, some people who were involved in
some caring relationships ended up fornicating or committing adultery.
Wrong Association
It is a fact that you are either influencing or being influenced by the person(s) with whom you associate. In
other words – no relationship is neutral. The people with whom you associate mold your character. If you
associate with wise people you will become wise. By the same token, if you associate with sexually
immoral people you will become sexually immoral.

Following the desires of the sinful nature

The bible makes it quite clear that unless one lives by the Spirit, they will follow the desires of the sinful
nature. These desires are ungodly. They lead to such things as drunkenness, idolatry, hatred and sexual
immorality.

“I say then walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the
flesh for the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the
flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the
things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under
the law. Now, the works of the flesh are evident, which are adultery,
fornication, uncleanness….” Galatians  5:16-19 (NKJT)
Sexual Deprivation In Marriage
Sex is one of the major reasons why people get married. If there is unacceptable sexual deprivation in
marriage, the sexually deprived spouse may be tempted to have sex outside marriage. This is the reason
why the bible speaks against unilateral and prolonged sexual deprivation in marriage.

“Do not deprive each other of sexual relations, unless you both agree
to refrain from sexual intimacy for a limited time so you give
yourselves more completely to prayer. Afterward, you should come
together again so that satan won’t be able to tempt you because of
your lack of self-control.” 1 Corinthians  7:5 (NLT)
Exposure To Immoral Input
What you see or hear will affect you one way or another. Watching X-rated movies, reading pornographic
magazines, engaging in suggestive dances as well as entertaining seductive comments or seductively
dressed people can lead to sexual immorality. What caused Eve in the garden to succumb to the devil’s
temptation was a combination of what she heard and what she saw. She heard the serpent say to her;
“You will not surely die. For God knows in that in the day you eat of
it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good
and evil.” Gen 3:4-5
It was after she had heard the aforesaid words that she saw that the tree was good for food and pleasant
to the eyes.

“So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was
pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of
the fruit and ate.” Gen 3:6
David’s commission of adultery with Bathsheba followed what he had seen;

“One late afternoon, David got up from taking his nap and was
strolling on the roof of the palace. From his vantage point on the roof
he saw a woman bathing. The woman was stunningly beautiful. David
sent to ask about her, and was told – Isn’t this Bathsheba, daughter of
Eliamand wife of Uriah the Hittite? David sent his agents to get her.
After she arrived, he went to bed with her.”  2 Samuel 11:2-4 (MSG)
The Devil
God does not tempt anyone. The devil is the tempter.

“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by
the devil.” Matthew 4:14
In the garden of Eden, the devil approached Eve in the form of a serpent. Behind each temptation is the
devil’s desire to achieve his three-fold mission of stealing, killing and destroying.

“The thief does not come expect to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.”
John 10:10
Through the bait of sexual temptation, the devil can destroy lives and families. It is however important to
realize that whilst the devil can tempt, he cannot force anyone to engage in an act of sexual immorality. In
other words, whether or not one will commit a sexual sin does not depend on the devil. It depends on the
attitude of the one tempted. For instance, one may choose to succumb to the temptation. In that case,
one will obey the voice of the devil and end up engaging in some sexual immorality.
“But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires
and enticed.” James 1:14
On the other hand, one can choose to resist the devil. In that case, the devil will flee resulting in the
tempted one achieving victory over the temptation.

“Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”
James 4:7